Apprentice - Waste Operations

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Stoke-On-Trent (ST1 6QN)

Closes in 17 days (Monday 1 September 2025)

Posted on 13 August 2025

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Summary

Practical and active? This apprenticeship in the Council's waste management team offers training at various waste transfer sites/depots to gain experience in site operations. It includes some administrative work and also dealing with customers.

Wage

£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week. Times to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 1 October 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

The apprentice will gain an understanding of waste management and develop practical skills in a front-line operational service all over the city, including: 

  • Collections from domestic and business premises.
  • Visiting premises with the waste sales officers.
  • Learning and putting into practice health and safety knowledge and skills.

Where you'll work

Weighbridge Site
Cromer Road
Stoke-On-Trent
ST1 6QN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

QDOS TRAINING LIMITED

Training course

Customer service practitioner (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
  • Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications; and/or
  • Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
  • Depending on your job role and work environment: Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
  • Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
  • Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
  • Demonstrate patience and calmness.
  • Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
  • Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
  • Maintain informative communication during service recovery.

Training schedule

Most of the training will be on the job with experienced workers and under supervision. Apprentices will also be taking either a customer service or waste operations apprenticeship standard at level 2. 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade GCSE grade 9/A*-3/D or equiv.)
  • Maths (grade GCSE grade 9/A*-3/D or equiv.)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Team working
  • Practical
  • Able to work independently

Other requirements

Minimum age of 18 (this age limit applies to this apprenticeship for health, safety and insurance reasons).

About this employer

Stoke-on-Trent City Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this – we therefore encourage applications from all sections of our community. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed together.

https://www.stoke.gov.uk (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

The apprentice will have all the benefits of being a full-time Council employee.

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Although there is no guarantee of a job at the end of the apprenticeship, many do go on to take up temporary or permanent jobs with the Council.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Michelle Tinsley

Michelle.Tinsley@stoke.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336961.

Apply now

Closes in 17 days (Monday 1 September 2025)

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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.